It has been found that various departments of KEPCO, which are making the largest deficit in history, have been using corporate cards at a level that goes against common sense.



As a representative public corporation, it is pointed out that negligent management is beyond the limit.



Today (6th), Rep. Kim Seong-won (People's Power) of the National Assembly's Committee on Small and Medium Venture Businesses (Lieutenant Mountain) confirmed food expenses of 500,000 won or more paid by corporate card at KEPCO's Seoul, Busan, and Ulsan headquarters in 2020-2021. As a result, a number of improper enforcement were discovered.



After the employee's retirement event at the end of March last year, KEPCO's Seoul Headquarters Planning and Management Office Management Support Department had a luncheon at a famous franchise Korean beef restaurant and paid 4,09,910 won with a corporate card.



It is a problem that the amount for a luncheon is too large for a luncheon, but above all, it was a time when the second stage of social distancing and the ban on private gatherings of more than five people were in effect.



It seems difficult to avoid criticism that KEPCO, a legal public company that must be strictly controlled by the government, has neglected the government's quarantine guidelines because it was not enough to use corporate cards negligently.



At the end of November 2020, the distribution operation department of the Electricity Business Division of the Seoul Headquarters processed 705,455 won as a corporate card expense for a sports and cultural event at a high-class sushi entrusted (omakase) Japanese restaurant in Da-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul.



In early November of the same year, the customer support department of the Mapo Yongsan branch of the Seoul headquarters paid 1,124,536 won at the Lotte Hotel for a sports and cultural event in the customer support office, and the next day, the finance and materials department of the planning and management office paid 1.77 million won at the Shinsegae Chosun Hotel for food as corporate card expenses. wrote



Over the past two years, it was not one or two cases where KEPCO Seoul, Busan, and Ulsan headquarters paid for meals with corporate cards at 5-star hotels in the name of sports and cultural events.



KEPCO is currently using a total of 2,636 corporate cards, excluding business trip and Hi-Pass cards.



Excluding purchases of goods, if you pay more than 500,000 won per transaction with a corporate card, you must state the facts, such as the place of use, purpose, and personal information, in the documentary evidence.



Also, in order to reduce excessive foreign exchange expenses, you should not make installments (split) at the same place.



For food expenses of 500,000 won or more per case, the head of the department, office, or business office must approve and confirm the appropriateness of use.



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KEPCO recorded a loss of 14.3 trillion won in the first half of this year (January to June) alone, more than double the operating loss of last year (5.9 trillion won), the largest since its inception.



KEPCO raised its electricity rate in April and July this year, and from this month onwards, it increased by 2.5 won to 11.7 won per 1 kWh (kilowatt hour) again.



Electricity rates are under strong pressure to further increase in order to achieve the goal of reducing energy consumption by 10% this winter, recently announced by the government, and to establish a structure with low energy consumption and high efficiency.



Rep. Kim pointed out, "I agree with the need to raise electricity rates to establish a low-energy, high-efficiency structure, but if KEPCO, which recorded the largest deficit in history, operates so laxly, no one can understand the justification of the rate hike."



Management has deteriorated significantly, but over the past five years, the number of newly hired manpower and labor costs from KEPCO and its subsidiaries has increased dramatically.



As a result of analyzing the data submitted by each company and the Public Institutions Management Information Disclosure System (Alio), Rep. Ja-geun Koo (Power of the People), a member of the National Assembly Mountain Lieutenant, found that KEPCO and its subsidiaries newly hired 19,10 people between 2017 and 2021. counted as people.



In the case of KEPCO, 4,672 new employees were hired from 2012 to 2016, but 7,719 new employees were recruited, nearly double in 2017-2021.



Labor costs for KEPCO and its subsidiaries increased by approximately 30% (KRW 960.9 billion) from KRW 3.23.8 trillion in 2017 to KRW 4.16 trillion last year.